story: CHAPTER XVII 
  
  THE MAN AT THE ASTOR 
  
  Refraining from discussing with Master Maloney the alleged bone-headedness of girls, Smith went through into the inner room, and found John sitting in the editorial chair, glancing through the latest number of _Peaceful Moments_. 
  
  "Why, John, friend of my youth," he said, "where have you been hiding all this time? I called you up at your office weeks ago, and an acid voice informed me that you were no longer there. Have you been fired?" 
  
  "Yes," said John. "Why aren't you on the _News_ any more? Nobody seemed to know where you were, till I met Faraday this morning, who told me you were here." 
  
  Smith was conscious of an impression that in some subtle way John had changed since their last meeting. For a moment he could not have said what had given him this impression. Then it flashed upon him. Before, John had always been, like Mrs. Fezziwig in "The Christmas Carol," one vast substantial smile. He had beamed cheerfully on what to him was evidently the best of all possible worlds. Now, however, it would seem that doubts had occurred to him as to the universal perfection of things. His face was graver. His eyes and his mouth alike gave evidence of disturbing happenings. 
  
  In the matter of confidences, Smith was not a believer in spade-work. If they were offered to him, he was invariably sympathetic, but he never dug for them. That John had something on his mind was obvious, but he intended to allow him, if he wished to reveal it, to select his own time for the revelation. 
questions: Did John used to be something of an optimist?
questions: Who had he been like?
questions: Is that a novel?
questions: Did John smile a lot?
questions: Does he still believe in the universal perfection of things?
questions: What had now occurred to him?
questions: And his face is now what?
questions: What tidings does he likely bring news of?
questions: Is Smith someone who likes to try to gossip?
questions: Was Smith going to press John to reveal anything before he was ready?
questions: Who had John met that morning?
questions: Where had he missed seeing Smith?
questions: Did anyone before Faraday seem to know where Smith had been?
questions: Had John been fired from his job?
questions: How long has he and Smith known each other?
questions: Did John do an outside job, like construction?
questions: What did he work in, then?
questions: Was the person who informed Smith of John's firing very friendly?
questions: What was John reading when Smith found him?
questions: Who was allegedly bone-headed?
answers: Yes
answers: . Before, John had always been, like Mrs. Fezziwig in "The Christmas Carol," one vast substantial smile. 
answers: Mrs. Fezziwig in "The Christmas Carol"
answers: John had always been, like Mrs. Fezziwig in "The Christmas Carol," one vast substantial smile. 
answers: unknown
answers: unknown
answers: Yes
answers:  He had beamed cheerfully on what to him was evidently the best of all possible worlds.
answers: No
answers: Now, however, it would seem that doubts had occurred to him as to the universal perfection of things. 
answers: Doubts
answers: Now, however, it would seem that doubts had occurred to him as to the universal perfection of things.
answers: Graver
answers: His face was graver. 
answers: Disturbing happenings.
answers: His eyes and his mouth alike gave evidence of disturbing happenings. 
  
answers: No
answers: In the matter of confidences, Smith was not a believer in spade-work. If they were offered to him, he was invariably sympathetic, but he never dug for them. 
answers: No
answers: That John had something on his mind was obvious, but he intended to allow him, if he wished to reveal it, to select his own time for the revelation. 
answers: Faraday
answers: Nobody seemed to know where you were, till I met Faraday this morning, who told me you were here." 
  
answers: At the News
answers: "Yes," said John. "Why aren't you on the _News_ any more? Nobody seemed to know where you were, till I met Faraday this morning, who told me you were here." 
answers: No
answers: Nobody seemed to know where you were, till I met Faraday this morning, who told me you were here." 
  
answers: Have yoYesu been fired?" "Yes,"
answers:  Have you been fired?" 
  
  "Yes,"
answers: Since Smith's youth
answers: "Why, John, friend of my youth,"
answers: No
answers:  found John sitting in the editorial chair, glancing through the latest number of _Peaceful Moments_. 
answers: As an editor
answers:  John sitting in the editorial chair, glancing through the latest number of _Peaceful Moments_. 
  
  
answers: No
answers:  I called you up at your office weeks ago, and an acid voice informed me that you were no longer there.
answers: Peaceful Moments
answers: John sitting in the editorial chair, glancing through the latest number of _Peaceful Moments_. 
answers: Girls
answers: 
  Refraining from discussing with Master Maloney the alleged bone-headedness of girls